Before work begins, Ohio Valley Barn Salvage will submit a written proposal for all barn and log cabin projects. We describe the structure that is going to be dismantled, and submit a certificate of liability insurance to our client before work begins. The proposal will also describe the basic procedure of how the structure is going to be dismantled, including individual expectations for how the site should be left, as determined by the client. We also try to anticipate a time frame and total length of time it will take for the work to be completed. We will only work on projects once a contract is signed.
Taking a barn down begins with safety. Going into a structure that may be over 150 years old can have unforeseen hazards. We do walkarounds and inspections of the barn on a daily basis, doing our absolute best to cut back on tripping hazards and fill in any holes. We will also go inside the barns and look for loose boards above and unexpected holes below.
The process of dismantling barns is fairly standard for each project. First, we will remove all barn siding, to let the barn ‘breathe’ and let in as much light as possible for our workplace safety. We will then remove the entire roof system.
Once the siding and roof are removed, we move on to the beams. Sometimes we will remove the wooden pegs that hold beams together. If safety necessitates, we may also cut down a beam. After safety, our number one priority is salvaging as much barn wood as possible.
Once the frame is down, we then remove the floor, followed by the undercarriage for bank-style barns.
At Ohio Valley Barn Salvage we are sticklers for clean and organized job sites. We try very hard to leave the work site neat and organized at the end of every day. This is our way of respecting the barn and work site, and is part of our passion for the job.
We take lots of photos as we take down structures, and are happy to put together a photo album of our project for the client upon request.
The bottom line is, we really like what we do. We can’t think of anyone else who would want to go out every day, looking forward to cleaning up 200 years’ worth of bat and raccoon dung, be chased by wasps, bees, bats and snakes, risk stepping on old, rusty nails, in either 10-degree or 90-degree weather, and still call it fun…but we do.
Ohio Valley Barn Salvage specializes in purchasing & dismantling old barn frames along with salvaging barn materials. We package and ship barn frames all over the country for homes, restaurants, events space and more. In addition, we complete on-site reassembly and reconstruction of old barn frames.
Available Barn Frames Restoration Projects Sold Barn Frames